Electrically heated windshield scraper



Jan. 18, 1955 J. D. CLEMENTS ELECTRICALLY HEATED WINDSHIELD SCRAPER Filed Nov. 17, 1952 JAMES B. QEMENTJ) INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

United States Patent Ofiice 2,700,096 Patented Jan. 18, 1955 2,700,096 ELECTRICALLY HEATED WINDSHIELD SCRAPER James D. Clements, Richmond, Ind. Application November 17, 1952, Serial No. 320,848 1 Claim. (Cl. 219-21) I am fully aware that certain devices have been used for scraping and clearing ice from automotive vehicle Windshields and the like. Some of the conventional scrapers are made of plastic which quickly become dull and useless for the purpose intended. Other scrapers are made using razor blades as the ice-scraping medium. The conventional types of scrapers must be used under adverse conditions in clearing Windshields of ice inasmuch as there is no means provided for softening or loosening the ice before or while the scrapers are applied.

The present invention relates particularly to a blade device for scraping ice from Windshields, and with the device having a self-contained heating coil located therein and in close proximity to the scraping edge of the blade.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a device having an electrically heated blade member.

A second object is the provision of an ice-scraping device which is effective in its use, with the scraping operation thereof being expedited by reason of an electrical heating unit or coil being located within the device and adjacent the blade member thereof, whereby the heated blade member comes into contact with the ice and aids in the scraping operation thereof.

A third object is the provision of an electrically heated scraper device which may be readily plugged into a cigarette lighter outlet of an automotive vehicle.

Another object is the provision of an electrically heated scraper device which is simple of construction and operation.

A further object is the provision of an article of manufacture which is economical to manufacture.

Further particular objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent in the course of the following description, with reference being made to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a scraper device embodying the principles of the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the device.

Figure 3 is a view of the under side of the device.

Figure 4 is a partial detail plan of the device similar to that shown in Figure 1 but with the same being of the body portion without the parts thereof being shown therein.

Figure 5 is a detail front elevation of the body member, taken from line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a detail section through the body member, taken on line 6-6 of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is an end elevation of the blade member.

Figure 8 is a front elevational view of the heater coil assembly.

Figure 9 is a top plan view of the heater coil assembly, as taken from line 9-9 of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a detail section similar to that shown in Figure 6, but with the same being shown in assembled condition.

Like characters of reference denote like parts throughout the several views.

In order that the construction and the advantages of the invention may be more readily understood and appreciated, I will now take up a detailed description thereof, in which the same will be more fully set forth.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, numerals 1 designate the handle member of the device and which has a body portion 2 formed on the forward end thereof. A

' member 1'.

a cavity 3 is formed across the forward end portion of the body member with the end walls 4 and 5 closing the ends of cavity 3. 6 designates the bottom portion of the device with the forward edge thereof terminating in a beveled portion 7. The front faces of end walls 4 and 5 are a continuation of the bevel '7 with the beveled surfaces providing for the reception of a blade member 8 which has a sharpened forward edge 9 formed thereon. Threaded apertures and 11 are formed in end walls 4 and 5 respectively for securing blade 8 thereon by means of threaded screws 12 and 13.

Vertically disposed slots 14 and 15 are formed in the inner surfaces of end walls 4 and 5 respectively, the purpose of which will be hereinafter set forth.

The heating unit is composed of an insulating member 16 which is of suitable length to extend across cavity 3 with the ends fitting into respective slots 14 and 15. A heating coil 17 is secured on the insulating member 16 by means of bolts 18 and 19 which extend through the insulating member and forming terminals to which the ends of an electric cord 20 are secured. The cord 20 extends rearwardly from the insulating member and outwardly through an aperture 21 formed through the body member with a portion of the cord being housed in the handle The opposite end of cord 20 has a plug 22 electrically secured to the opposite end thereof with the plug being of the conventional type adapted to be removably fitted into a cigarette lighter receptacle. Heat insulating material 23 is used to fill the cavity 3 rearwardly of the insulating member 16, as shown in Figure 10. The heat insulating material provides means preventing excessive heating of the body member. it will be noted, by referring to Figure 10, that the heating coil lies in close proximity with the blade member 3.

In the use of the device, plug 22 is inserted into a cigarette lighter receptacle. Upon making the electrical connection in the receptacle, the coil 17 quickly heats, with the heat therefrom being transferred to the lower portion of blade 3 and causing the same to become immensely hot. As the heated blade edge 9 comes into contact with ice, the same has a tendency to melt or at least to soften the ice to the extent that the ice can be easily removed by means of the scraper edge. It will be noted, by referring to Figures 2 and 10, that the sharpened edge 9 of the blade extends downwardly slightly beyond the bottom surface of the body of the device.

I desire that it be understood that the device is shown in its presently preferred form but that I am not to be limited to the specific form and arrangement of the parts herein shown and described, but that changes may be made therein, insofar as the changes may fall within the scope of the appended claim.

Having now shown and described the invention, what I claim is:

In a windshield scraper device comprising a body member having a thickened rear portion with a handle formed integrally therewith and extending rearwardly therefrom and with end walls and a bottom extending forwardly of the thickened rear portion, a heating element positioned 1n the space between the end walls and above the bottom, insulating material packed between the heating element and the thickened rear portion, a comparatively thin blade removably secured forwardly of the heating element, with the blade closing the forward end of the space formed by formed on the lower portion of the blade and with the sharpened edge extending forwardly and downwardly beyond the forward edge of the bottom portion, and with the thickened rear portion and the insulating material forming a barrier against rearward transmission of heat from the heating element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,849,687 Phillips et al Mar. 15, 1932 2,511,161 Hammond June 13, 1950 2,536,844 Fredrick et a1. Jan. 2, 1951 

